Disclaimer: I do not own Tennis no Oujisama or its characters or Oxford. This is not done for profit or monetary gain, original characters though are mine. Please ask permission if you would like to use them.

Warnings: Please do not proceed if you do not know what yaoi/shounen ai is. You will be mentally scarred if you don't. Flames and hate mail will be ignored. There will also be some FujiOCin this story

A/N: Actually this could stand alone but I'm not leaving this like that, so don't worry. (haha as if you are) Anyway if any of you are confused, the setting is when they're in third year senior high already - just a few months away from graduation.

Pairing: future Tezufu; some FujiOCand other misc

European Studies:Prologue

Fuji Shuusuke was undoubtedly one of the most talented and most brilliant persons in their school, Seishun Gakuen. A lot of people liked him; a lot of people adored him - for his skills, for his looks, for his everything. He was regarded as one of the unparalleled forces that dwelled deep within Seigaku, one whom everyone sought to defeat or to be acknowledged by. He was like a flame to the moths that didn't feel their burns but felt its heat; a fire that made them go blind but still made them seek it out.

All of which, he found completely absurd.

In his own opinion he never was the genius they thought him to be - he just knew how to cope or handle things better than others. For him, he never was all that rhetoric they threw about. He was not lazy like the others, true, but he never over-exerted himself either. He moved only according to what was asked of him. No more, no less.

What he could not and would not deny though was his uncanny ability to observe things in detail at any moment. Call it a talent.

Like the time when he spoke to Tezuka alone in Junior High, the one conversation after his match with Echizen in the rain. He hadn't really found out from anyone. The question was how he had to deal with it. It took him a week to at least figure out how to get the upper hand on the first year and not scar the kid into defeat, but it worked nonetheless. Not that he exerted that much effort.

This was why when he had been offered a full scholarship in a European college last week, he was pretty much surprised. His parents were ecstatic about it. Even Yuuta was happy for him. He himself never expected it to come, but it was most certainly not an unwelcome offer. It didn't follow that he was completely happy about it either.
"Fuji! Oishi said he still has to talk to Akito-sensei and told us to go ahead of him." Kikumaru Eiji said as he tugged on his best friend's sleeves. The other boy just sat there with his chin propped up on his arm as if ignoring him. He looked out the window where Fuji was staring off to and tipped his head quizzically. There was nothing there. "Fuji let's go. I want to watch that movie tonight."
Fuji gave the redhead a sidelong glance. Sighing he gave in and moved from his position. "And I thought I could get a way from being a /third wheel/." Eiji blushed crimson and indignantly denied what everyone was accusing them of. Fuji smiled good-naturedly at the scandalized boy, stood and got his book bag. "Shall we go then Eiji?"

The two exited the classroom and headed for the shoe lockers. Both of them were joking around though the conversation was controlled by the acrobatic player largely. They passed by the library on their way down. It was still open. Eiji had mentioned something about homeroom officers and meetings saving them from a day of tortuous practice when Fuji excused himself for a moment. He made the other wait outside the room as he entered the area silently. Closing the door as slowly and as quietly as possible, he scanned the area for the person he was looking for. At the end of the room, by the transom, was a man working through some important papers - too important to be left to finish off tomorrow. He approached the brooding figure noiselessly, stopped right behind the other and deftly placed his hand on top of the stack in an effort to obscure the reader's view. "You work to hard, Tezuka." He said, barely a whisper.

Tezuka sighed and called Fuji's name in reproach. When the offending hand had not moved away, he relaxed a bit. He took off his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose. "You weren't at the meeting today."

"Sorry I forgot."

"That's /all/?"

"I honestly did. What was it for anyway?" The upturn of Fuji's lips was wiped away from his placid face to be replaced by a firm line. He moved towards the side and bent low to have his superior look at him face to face. "I didn't do it on purpose besides I don't know why anyone even bothered to vote me for class representative."

Tezuka sighed for the umpteenth time and put the spectacles back on. "It was for the graduation party. It isn't really that important. Just make sure to come next time."

Fuji almost laughed at the other man but stopped himself and tried to keep a straight face. "Only if you promise to stop working too hard."

"Fuji!"

The aforementioned boy grinned and moved his hand away from the papers. He turned his attention outside and watched those students going home late as he was, those trailing behind a certain group, those trying to catch up. Impulsively he posed Tezuka the question that kept him awake for a few nights now. The question that no matter how much he searched within himself he would not find the ground where he stood. "What would you do? Stay where you're content or move to a new place where you don't know anything." Tezuka said nothing nor did he do anything. Fuji took it as a sign to continue and gathered his thoughts into a more organized statement. He turned about, leaned on the table and used it for support. "It's because we're graduating soon and-"

He should've known that he /really /couldn't get away with being the third wheel. Eiji went in the library like a cannon ball as he crashed open the door saying impatiently, "Fujiko-chan, Oishi caught up with us already. Let's go!" Oishi greeted his two other team mates and patted Eiji on the shoulder. The cause of the entire ruckus formed an o with his lips, hid behind the taller man and squeaked an oops which was barely audible across the room.

"Ah- I'm coming. See you on Monday, Tezuka." Shuusuke said finally and did not bother to finish whatever he had been saying. He pushed himself off the desk and moved away from their captain. A few steps away, he heard it. Quiet yet clear, firm but soft all at the same time. "It's because you haven't found the drive to do anything." That tone of Tezuka's made Fuji shiver involuntarily. He didn't know why.

"Pardon?" Fuji asked, pausing to look at the silent man hoping to hear more from the other. He also probably looked idiotic with his body half turned and paused in mid-step. But he didn't care.

"You know what I mean, Fuji. Have fun." Tezuka said as he shuffled through the papers one last time before he stood himself. "Go on. I'll lock up."

Fuji Shuusuke looked at his captain - really looked at the other for a long time- then a slight shiver passed again. It was weird how Tezuka could pull of such a conversation. Pep talks be-damned. The man spoke when needed and that was all there is to it. You needn't to hear anymore. He moved on towards his best friend and the currently unofficial boyfriend of said friend. He smiled wistfully at the two.

Yeah, Tezuka was right about him. He didn't have the drive. He'd just have to find it - even if it meant leaving all these days of contentment and bliss behind.

Even if it meant having to leave happiness behind.

That's what you would do, ne? Tezuka?

That's what you would want me to do, anyway.

End Prologue

1) Tensai - Though prodigy is a nickname use by many for him as a translation, I think genius would be the more appropriate term. What's more I firmly believe that that adjective(prodigy) is fit for Ryoma better than anyone else.